Almost all motorists know that the technical condition of a car depends entirely on the quality of the engine oil and the frequency of its replacement. According to the instructions, every 7-10 km the car needs it. A newly purchased car is sold with a pre-filled service center with oil recommended by the manufacturer and ideally suited to the power unit. At the same time, the product of one brand at the service station is changed without preliminary flushing, since it is recommended by the vehicle manufacturer and does not cause concern. This scheme is the best for maintaining the "health" of the machine. But in practice, everything looks different.
Should they be mixed with different specifications? Can engine oil be mixed or not? Will this affect motor performance? Can oils from different manufacturers be mixed? Eternal questions, on which there are constant disputes among motorists.
Some believe that this categorically cannot be done, since the stage of flushing the motor will be completely excluded. Others assure that there is nothing wrong with this, and this will not affect the operation of the motor in any way.
Both sides are right in their own way. In fact, oils can be mixed, but wisely, following certain rules. Otherwise, there is a possibility of harm to the motor, the result will be its repair.
Can different oils be mixed? Reasons why this is allowed:
- Forced need to top up oil.
- Lack of the desired brand of product.
Can oils from different manufacturers be mixed? What do experts think about it?
- Mixing is permissible only for oils of one category. This is the only way to avoid negative consequences from the internal combustion engine.
- Mixing is permissible only if the driver does not plan to drive for a long time.
The main point of this procedure is the formation of a new chemical composition, the effect of which is impossible to predict.
When mixing oils from different manufacturers, it should be remembered that even with a thorough removal of the oil, some of the waste remains. The result is combining it with a fresh lubricant with which they are not fully compatible. Many car enthusiasts fear that such a formula will not provide 100% engine performance.
Mixing theory
As mentioned above, the combination of different oils is possible, but only taking into account certain factors that need to be treated with special attention. In order to understand this issue in more detail, you should know what types of oils are.
Synthetic
It is an oil based on artificial chemicals.
Benefits:
- low volatility;
- good fluidity at low temperatures;
- viscosity reacts little to temperature fluctuations;
- high durability;
- requires fewer additives.
Mineral
Its most important component is oil. Some people call this species organic.
Benefits:
- Environmentally friendly - the amount of chemicals is kept to a minimum.
- The budgetary cost, which is sometimes the decisive factor when choosing.
- Versatility.
- Availability. Available in all car dealerships.
Semi-synthetic
The name itself suggests that this is a combination of the first two types of oils.
Benefits:
- Low cost. The price is second only to mineral oils.
- Compatible with vehicles running on any fuel.
- Low volatility.
- Prevents the formation of limescale.
Permitted oil combinations:
- Mineral water with semisynthetics. If a mineral lubricant was previously used in the motor, then mixing with semi-synthetics is permissible. Synthetics with a polyalphaolefin base are also suitable. Also, the following types of oils can be poured into: polyester, silicone, glycol. In this case, one should take into account such a nuance as the chemical composition of a synthetic product.
- Synthetics and blending. Can the oil be mixed with other oils when it comes to synthetics? Almost all of today's commodity producers develop products in accordance with European standards. This allows them to be mixed. But it is not a fact that the result will be positive. In some cases, the following troubles may occur: precipitation, the appearance of foam. They are simply kept to a minimum compared to other types of oils. The minimum number of imperfections indicates that you have purchased a high quality product. Before mixing the oils, it is necessary to take into account that the first maintenance should be carried out with the oil recommended by the manufacturer, flushing the system in advance.
- Mixing synthetics and semisynthetics. If at the time of the drop in the oil level in the car you had synthetic oils and only semi-synthetic oils were available, you are saved. Products such as 5W40 and 10W40 can be mixed safely. This viscosity will range from 6W40 to 8W40. The best option is a combination of existing oil with a better quality. In other words, semi-synthetic oils can be diluted with synthetic oils. Mixing synthetics with semisynthetics is allowed only in critical cases.
- Products of one manufacturer. According to many experts, it is possible to mix engine oils of the same brand. This statement is true because oils from the same manufacturer are very similar in chemical composition. In other words, they have the same base, and their chemical composition contains the same set of additives. Based on this, mixing oils of the same brand is perfectly acceptable. In addition, motorists should be aware that sometimes there are situations when the same oil is sold under different brands.
- Oils from various manufacturers. Can oils from different manufacturers be mixed? One of the risky mixing options, as no one guarantees 100% efficiency due to different manufacturing processes. But this does not mean that the result will immediately be negative. It happens that when such oils are combined, minimal foaming and an imperceptible sediment are observed. Unfortunately, this rarely happens.
- It is recommended to top up the engine only with the oil that was originally poured into it.
- If it is possible to use this type of liquid, products of a similar brand should be used.
- When buying a product, it must be borne in mind that one and the same manufacturer is capable of producing oils under different brands.
- Drain the obsolete tool. Give the car an opportunity to settle a little so that it merges to the maximum. If possible, tilt the vehicle alternately to both sides. This will drain more liquid.
- Install a new filter and fill with the manufacturer's recommended oil.
- Try not to overload the machine for three days while the motor gets used to a different type of product.
- The next procedure for changing the oil should occur after 10 thousand km.
- Gasoline and diesel powered vehicles.
- Engines in which the manufacturer has approved the use of this type of oil.
Mixing oils 5W30 and 5W40
5W30 and 5W40 oils can be mixed. For example, if you have a sharp drop in fluid level on the road and there is no supply of 5W40 synthetics, but there is a similar fluid with a similar label and markings, but from an outside manufacturer, in this case, your manufacturer's 5W30 oil will help you. When adding the specified fluid to the engine, there will be no problems with engine operation. The most that can happen is a slight drop in viscosity. When using an all-weather 5W30 or 5W40 fluid, the engine starts at a temperature of 35 degrees. This mixing will result in small changes in the thermal viscosity coefficient. This result is also not critical, since the negative side will be visible only when the motor is running at a high temperature. The driver will just have to take care of the car a little and not overload it.
Can I mix oils from different manufacturers in an emergency? Critical cases involve the use of other types of products. In this case, it is necessary to minimize the number of loads and correct the situation as soon as possible by replacing it with the recommended oil.
Little tricks about gear lubricants
It is possible to mix transmission oils or not, let's take a closer look. This problem occurs only when the conversation is about the car's engine. This rarely happens, but it happens when the lubricant level in the gearbox decreases. The answer is simple enough: transmission fluids can be mixed, but only under the conditions specified for engine oils. They should be similar and practically identical in chemical composition. Such a mixture will allow any motorist to safely drive several thousand kilometers on a sparing mode. After the end of the path, the liquid will have to be drained and replaced with the one recommended by the manufacturer.
It is strictly forbidden to mix motor products and transmission products. Ignoring this recommendation will result in loss of engine performance. You will learn a killer mixture.
In any case, for efficient engine operation, after mixing the oils, you will have to return to the oil recommended by the manufacturer. Before this, it is necessary to carry out the procedure for flushing the engine:
The motor flush procedure is complete. If you are in doubt about the cleanliness of the engine, shorten the service interval and take the car to a service station.
Consider the characteristics of motor vehicles from different manufacturers.
Castrol Magnatec 5W-40 A3 / B4
Castrol oil is widely known to motorists for its high degree of reliability and quality. Most high-speed cars use this brand of oils.
When operating a car, motorists should remember that a large percentage of engine wear occurs as a result of starting it. A3 / B4 oil protects it right from the start.
Simple oil, when the engine is inoperative, does not linger on it, thereby exposing the most important parts of the power unit. Castrol Magnatec 5W-40 A3 / B4 wrap around every part of the engine, covering it with a heavy-duty oil film that provides extra protection when the engine starts. The result of its use is to minimize the risk of engine wear.
Where are Castrol Magnatec 5W-40 A3 / B4 oils used?
- envelops and lingers on the smallest details of the engine;
- forms a dense oil film that protects the motor from the first to the last minute of starting, thereby reducing its wear;
- when combined with synthetic technology, protects the engine at different temperature conditions;
- 100% engine protection regardless of operating conditions and types of driving;
- the funds of the specified brand are demi-season;
- it cannot be counterfeited because the manufacturer has taken care of the protection.
A distinctive feature is the glow in the ultraviolet spectrum. This development of the manufacturer allows consumers to easily distinguish the original from the fake.
"Lukoil Lux SN / CF 5W-40"
Synthetics, all-season. Belongs to the premium class.
Purpose:
- diesel-fueled vehicles;
- supercharged gasoline engines that are installed in cars, vans and trucks.
Domestic oil "Lukoil Lux SN / CF 5W-40" refers to synthetic. Judging by the reviews of motorists and tests, this is today one of the most reliable lubricants in its price category.
It is an officially registered Russian product. Provides the highest level of protection and meets all the required specifications.
- prevents the formation of lime deposits in the cylinder and piston at high temperatures;
- prevents sludge formation at low temperatures;
- has a beneficial effect on seals;
- the chemical composition of the oil makes it easier to start the engine in extreme conditions.
The formation of a protective film on the parts provides maximum protection when starting the engine.
Advantages of Lukoil Lux SN / CF 5W-40:
- reduces fuel consumption;
- minimizes the presence of noise;
- is the best engine protection in all conditions;
- prevents the formation of deposits on the motor.
Oil "Lukoil Lux API SL / CF 5W-30"
The main area of \u200b\u200bapplication is passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, which are recommended to use low-viscosity lubricants. Designed for engines of cars "Ford", "Renault". The positive characteristics are similar to the previous brand.
Conclusion
And in conclusion, it is worth noting that the purchase of motor lubricants must be carried out in a proven specialized store, which at your first request is able to provide a document that guarantees the quality of the products. And the best way to do this is in shops at gas stations. For the quality of products bought on the market or just by the side of the road, hardly anyone will answer you.
So, we figured out if synthetic oils can be mixed. We hope you find this information useful.
Can engine oils be mixed?
What happens if you mix 5w30 with another oil?
It often happens that engine oil runs out completely suddenly, and the same as it was filled, is simply not at hand. The most difficult thing in this situation is for those who find themselves on the highway, where to go and drive to the nearest store ... What to do? In fact, everything is not as bad as it might seem at first glance, and here's why.
We should start with theory. We will look at the main reasons that cause "headaches" for car owners, and prove why most of these problems are nothing more than myths.
First. “I have a low-viscosity oil 0w20, and you can only top up the same, otherwise the motor will break down.” The engine oil in modern engines performs not only lubricating functions, but also works as a hydraulic fluid. For example, the same valves VTEC or gear VTC ... Normal operation of the mechanism is impossible without oil pressure at the appropriate point. And if we are talking about pressure, it means that requirements are imposed on the oil not only in terms of “film thickness”.
Most likely, this is why the vast majority of modern engines recommend low-viscosity oils, which have increased fluidity, to work as a hydraulic fluid. For example, 0w20 oil is recommended in most modern Honda engines. In addition, modern oils must have sufficient alkaline activity to flush out traces of dirt from such thin places, for example, the VTC valve. Do not change the oil on time, or use not very good oil - you will get dirt and problems with the engine.
In the long run, choosing the wrong engine oil can lead to serious problems. But, in the short-term - everything is not so scary. Fresh oil, even with a viscosity of more than 0w20, will be able to perform its functions properly. This can take a long enough time, which will be enough to drive 2000-3000 km on the highway. Further, it will be desirable to replace the oil with the one required from the catalog. In the city, it is easier and more correct to use the prescribed oil, in order to avoid the need to change the oil after 2000 km.
Second. "Different oils have different additives and you can damage your engine if the oils react with each other." The lubrication quality of all engine oils, except for the very bad, or very expensive and good, in the modern world has become approximately the same. Yes, every manufacturer tries to add some kind of additive to the engine oil, which makes it “smooth and silky”. Naturally, every manufacturer believes that only their engine oil can help get rid of all the problems with the engine. In fact, believe me, there is no engine oil that can cure a motor from problems. Each oil can either "reveal" these problems, or "clog" them for the time being deeper, so that it is not visible. Then they will come out anyway, and have to be repaired. This means that it is almost impossible to spoil the engine by pouring in “the wrong oil from another manufacturer”. If the oil was, say, Mobil 5w30, but Castrol 5w30 had to be added - the maximum that would be negative - the positive aspects of "mobile" and "castrol", which were in the oil in the form of additives, will disappear. But It is impossible to “kill” the whole engine by adding the “wrong” oil... We declare with full responsibility, if the engine “broke” from another oil, then it had only 2,000 km to live.
Third. "If the engine had 5w40 oil, then you need to top up with 5w40 and nothing else." Ideally, yes, it is better that at least the viscosity is the same. On the other hand, a short-term ride (no more than 3000 km) on full “pickle” will also not greatly damage the motor, which, in principle, is still doing well, and the leak has arisen, for example, due to damage to the pallet. That is, you can fill in 5w50, 0w20, and 10w40. Nothing terrible will happen, nothing will jam, and will not shoot into the air. If the engine consumes such an amount of oil into the atmosphere that you have to top up different grades - you also don't need to worry, - the capital is close as never before, and the engine doesn't “play the violin” anyway. Relax and move on, just adding any oil at all.
Fourth. “There was Honda 5w20 oil, they offer Honda 5w30 (or even better - 0w20), can you mix it?”. Here it is worth remembering a simple rule - almost all oils of the same line from the manufacturer can be "crossed" with practically no serious consequences. That is, all Castrol Magnatek can be mixed with each other as a last resort. And also with the entire line of Mobile, or Motul. So you can mix.
Fifth. “I have synthetic oil, but they offer me semisynthetics.” This is the most common brake for oil selection. The problem most often is that a person does not know how to determine where the real synthetics are and where they are not, and believes the stickers on the canister. Most modern oils are non-synthetic and can be mixed without any problem at all.
But what will happen if you still mix real synthetics with "non-synthetics"? Our answer: NOTHING terrible. Here you have to choose, as in an old anecdote, “Do you have checkers, or do you need to go?”. If you do not arrange races in the red zone, then half of Russia can be driven on a mixture of “synthetics” and “non-synthetics”. When you arrive at the destination of your trip, change it to the desired one, and that's it. If you are in the city, of course, it makes sense to look for oil similar to the one filled in the engine, but if there is no such oil in the city, then you will have to go on "pickle".
Output. If you look at all of the above factors, you can find a simple solution to the question that faces the person at the beginning of our article. What to do if in the middle of the track you find that there is very little oil on the dipstick, but you have to go? The easiest option is to stop any passing car and ask them to sell you any oil. Absolutely anyone.
Remember one simple rule - it is better to drive with mixed grade oil than without it at all. When you reach the place, you will drain this “compote”, get rid of the problem and fill in the oil that you think is necessary for your motor.
In other cases, if oil is available (for example, in the city), it is better, after all, to top up with the type of oil that is filled in your car's engine. Remember that in modern engines, oil is not only a lubricant, but also a hydraulic fluid for some systems.
P.S. It is still not recommended to flush the system even after “multi-grade oil”. Better to change the oil more often.
Honda vodam.ru
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Here I dug up from the HONDA forum.Expertise
OIL COMPATIBILITY
IS THIS MIXTURE?
ALEXANDER BUDKIN
Remember, dear reader, when you first heard that "mineral water" cannot be mixed with "synthetics". Let's try to guess: around the time we learned that motor oils are mineral or synthetic and that they are not the same thing at all. Have you guessed? Even more confident that you have hardly read about oil compatibility testing. Even the specialists with whom we often communicate try to bypass this topic - there are almost no universally recognized compatibility criteria, very few test methods, etc. And besides, which company is profitable to say that its oil is compatible with others. Wouldn't it be better to recommend that customers buy only their own product? In general, we decided to cheat.
WHAT TESTED
There are hardly any fans to mix two or three different engine oils in equal proportions and pour this mixture into the engine. Mixing most often occurs when replacing one oil with another, when refilling or ... flushing. Yes, yes, don't be surprised. It is often washed precisely so that the oils do not mix. When switching, say, from mineral to synthetic, a master in a car service will certainly say: necessarily with flushing. In this case, the old and new engine oils do not really mix, but mixing still occurs: first, the old oil with flushing oil, and then flushing oil with fresh one.
To check compatibility, we bought two mineral oils, two semi-synthetic, two synthetic and two flush oils. We checked each one with each other!
They were guided, like ordinary customers, by the inscriptions on the canister. Written "semisynthetic" or "synthetic blend", consider it a semi-synthetic oil without going into details. It says "fully synthetic", please represent the synthetic diaspora. So, our standard bearers have become: from mineral oils - "Spectrol Super Universal" and "Sintec" (both SF / CC levels with a viscosity of 15W40), from semi-synthetic oils - "Esso Ultra" and "Valvolin Dura Blend" (both SJ / CF, 10W40 ), from synthetic - "Castrol GTX Magnatek" and "Shell Helix Ultra" (SL / CF, 5W40), finally, from flushing - "Luxoil flushing oil" and "LUKOIL Auto Flushing" (see photo).
HOW TESTED
Since sane people do not dilute different oils, it did not make much sense to mix them in our experiments in a 1: 1 ratio. When changing the oil, the so-called non-draining residue averages about 10% (it is believed that it can vary from 5 to 20%). Therefore, the method (of the Ministry of Agriculture), which was recommended to us by experts, involves checking the compatibility of two samples after mixing them in proportions of 1: 9 and 9: 1. These mixtures are kept for a long time, or they are heated and kept, or ... However, how they are tortured, consumers do not need to know at all. It is more important to ask the same specialists how they assess compatibility.
Appearance - one, viscosity check - two, alkaline reserve - three, ash content - four ... Enough, perhaps. And so many accumulates: eight samples "each with each" multiply by two concentrations (1: 9 and 9: 1), multiply by three checked parameters - this is already several hundred digits! How do they determine compatibility? Of course, it is visually assessed whether a precipitate has formed. Then compare the three named parameters for the mixture before and after aging (appearance does not count). If they begin to deteriorate over time, this means incompatibility for an inoperative oil mixture.
It is clear that there is no reason to introduce the "two by three meters" table. Let's just talk about the most interesting results.
WHAT GOT
There are at least three such results. First and foremost, the experts stated that the technique used (and it has not existed for the first day) did not reveal any incompatibility. Optimists will exclaim “hurray, you can mix everything!”, While pessimists will probably say something very unflattering about the method. Let's try to stay "above the fight."
We have more than once turned to pundits with a prosaic question before: is it possible to ditch an engine with a mixture of oils? Each time they received a cautious answer: we are not aware of such cases. As a rule, all the rumors that someone mixed "synthetics" with "mineral water" and because of this ruined the engine are nothing more than horror stories. If Uncle Vasya screwed up the engine, it was not at all because he "interfered", but because he strove to buy cheaper oil and ran into a fake.
The test results presented here have confirmed that there are no catastrophic changes in the engine oil blend. However, as always, cautious specialists emphasize that this is a specific technique.
In other words, a mixture of two synthetic oils will not be worse for the engine than a cheap "mineral water", although it may not work like each (or at least the best) of the two samples before mixing them. But checking is a completely different task. Instead of a few hundred simple tests, a few very complex ones are required. We will probably deal with this over time, but for now we will tell you about two more results.
Of all the abundance of mixtures, three were found that, from the point of view of the layman, behaved antiscientific - the properties of the mixture did not deteriorate over time, but, on the contrary, the alkalinity increased slightly. Scientifically, this is called "synergy". It's like waves in the sea: two small ones, overlapping each other, form one big one.
So, in the pair "Esso" - "Castrol" (90% + 10%), the initial alkalinity of the samples was 6.40 and 8.56 *, after mixing it became 6.48, and with time increased to 9.90. For Valvolin (from the original 7.99) and Castrol it has changed from 8.50 to 9.11. And in another combination - 10% "Castrol" and 80% "Shell" (from the original 8.78) - it turned out respectively 8.57 and 9.80.
This suggests that some chemical processes are taking place in the mixture, but no one will undertake to say how they will end after 10-15 thousand km of service. The domestic method for such cases has not been developed, and therefore we must admit here too: oils are compatible in this case. Finally, one more promised result. It is also very indicative, although it is unlikely to surprise anyone. Since the initial alkalinity of flushing oils is always lower than that of motor oils - in our case - 4.01 and 2.97 - the addition of 10% "flushing" to fresh oil reduces its ability to neutralize oxidation products. Let's say for a pair of Shell (90%) and Luxoil (10%) from 8.78 to 8.00. But does this mean that it is harmful to flush the motor, because the alkaline supply is also low in mining?
In a word, tests, as often happens, having answered one main question, posed many others. With a fair degree of certainty, one can only repeat: a small admixture of one oil in another during its replacement cannot "screw up" the engine, no matter what the "experts" may say. But we are even more confident that the compatibility check in various aspects should be continued. So wait for the next publications.* The absolute values \u200b\u200bof alkalinity obtained here cannot be compared with previously published results for these and other oils due to the methodological features of determining the indicator in this and previous works.
Spectrol Super Universal; API SF / CC; SAE 15W40.
Sintec; API SF / CC; SAE 15W40.
Esso Ultra API; SJ / CF; SAE 10W40.
Valvoline Dura Blend; API SJ / CF; SAE 10W40.
Castrol GTX Magnatec; API SL / CF; SAE 5W40.
Shell Helix Ultra; API SL / CF; SAE 5W40.